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Dropped Uterus

Dropped uterus is particularly a common condition among older women because of the weakening of the pelvic muscles. Prolapsed uterus, another term for dropped uterus, is a condition where the uterus falls to the vaginal canal from its normal positioning in the pelvis. While not a deadly condition, a woman with a prolapsed uterus is in a terribly painful predicament. A lot of women go through a great deal of distress when they have a dropped uterus. There are various grades of prolapsed uterus, each with slightly different prolapsed uterus symptoms.

Dealing with a Dropped Uterus

Grade 1 prolapsed uterus is a relatively mild case. Some women won’t even notice that they have a dropped uterus already. It’s just a slight drop of the uterus and no pain or discomfort will be felt. However, a portion of the uterus may be seen as it goes down to the upper portion of the vagina. A bigger portion of the uterus can be seen with the Grade 2 prolapsed uterus, as the cervix sticks out of the mouth of the vagina. Although not as painful the third grade prolapsed uterus, Grade 2 is already considered an alarming case. Grade 3 is where the cervix is actually outside the vagina. Grade 4 prolapsed uterus induces a lot of discomfort because the whole uterus is outside the vagina. At this point, all the muscles that support the uterus have already weakened. The fourth grade dropped uterus is also known as procidentia.

Having an anteverted uterus helps in keeping the uterus from falling. However, some women really suffer from prolapsed uterus through time. Any circumstance that weakens the pelvic muscles puts a woman at risk of dropped uterus. Pregnancy can weaken the pelvic muscles, as well as advancement in age. A prolapsed uterus may likely occur during and after menopause because of the limited supply of natural estrogen in the body. It helps to maintain normal weight because obesity can increase pressure on the pelvic muscles. Cough, constipation, and fluid retention in the abdominal section can also weaken the pelvic muscles. Race also matters in determining the likelihood of a falling uterus. Studies show that Caucasian women are more likely to suffer this condition than Asian or African women.

Prolapsed uterus symptoms are very apparent. Normally, women with dropped uterus will feel pressure on the pelvic area. This is usually accompanied with difficulty moving around, pain on the lower back, and a feeling that something is sliding of the vagina. Dropped uterus can cause a lot of discomfort in the functions of the genitals. For instance, urination and bowel movements will be very difficult. Sexual intercourse will be highly affected with a prolapsed uterus.

Any sign of prolapsed uterus symptoms should already be reported to the doctor. Although it is not a fatal condition, the pain and discomfort will affect the activities of the woman. The skin surrounding the vaginal area may get infected because of the protruding uterus. Mild prolapses are usually treated with non-invasive procedures but bad cases of a dropped uterus (procidentia) may need to be addressed through hysterectomy to remove the uterus.
We hope you have a better idea about dropped uterus.